My December 21 Day Sugar Detox

If you follow a real foodie or Paleo instagrammer, you have probably noticed a frenzy of 21-Day Sugar Detox Pictures.  If you have no idea what I am talking about, you are missing out on some delicious-looking sugar-free food porn.  Sometimes I almost eat my phone.  I only stop myself because I remember how my kids' phone chewing days took my ability to hear people without a headset.  So I decided to try this super-popular eating plan in between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I know.  I'm a genius and a self-sadomasochist.  I decided to go easy on myself and only do phase 1.  Here is how I fought my way through the sugar cravings.


Rules for me:  Phase 1 but modifications for breastfeeding and activity level.  Allowed (or required) sweet potatoes or squash or 1/2 cup of other gluten-free dense carb at each meal.

Week 1: Plan this week was to keep my head down and avoid the insult-slinging from coworkers and family.  Big event this week: Christmas party with unknown food, c
opious amounts of free alcohol and desserts as far as the eye can see.

How I fared:  well I made it through the week with minimal rants.  Rants pointed at me and from me were diverted by changing the subject or looking away.  Die-off headache was intense, though, lasting for the first 2-3 days.  UNcomfortable.  As for the Christmas party, I was able to nosh on turkey and sweet potatoes and steak salad.  I learned how much fun I could really have dancing without alcohol while everyone else was totally sloshed.  And it was a win for the next morning too!  Hangover-free.  My quads were killing me though.  Dancing is a workout no matter what you eat.

Week 2: Plan this week was to keep it up and add in a few dairy-free days.  Big events this week: cookie party on Tuesday and a lunchtime end-of-year love-fest thrown by my project head.  You might know the type; plenty of sweets but complete lack of real food.

How I fared:  My dairy-free days were informative.  Being dairy-free for those three days shot my energy levels up, which I maintained when I was back to eating cheese or raw milk.  I even considered going to the gym... (I will have to write you another post on how much I really HATE working out.)  The cookie party was a big success!  Lots of people showed up, except for me.  Thanksgiving taught me that gluten is most certainly a no-no, and I would have had to come back to work outside my normal schedule. NO thank you!  And the midday love-fest?  Plenty of nuts to eat!  Chocolate-covered ones!  Which, I uh, ate a handful of.  Better abilities tomorrow.

Week 3: Plan this week.  I didn't have one!  The last week of something like this is always the hardest for me.  Big event: none until the 22nd, which was the day after the last day.  I was really worried about going into sugar shock during Christmas after being sugar-free for so long.  So to prepare, I did absolutely nothing.

How I fared:  I ended up eating a little bit of sugar in increasing amounts starting on Wednesday.  It was a Pink Lady apple on Wednesday, followed by unrestricted sweet potatoes on Thursday, and Friday involved some 70% dark chocolate.  By the time Sunday rolled around, I was able to eat practically half a jar of red pepper jelly with basically half a wheel of brie.  Flippin' delicious.

Next steps:  The holidays basically destroyed any willpower I had left.  I ate all the chocolate I could, but stayed away from gluten.  I even made biscuits that were just as fluffy as the wheat ones!  My (yeast-caused) hand rash was raging during the entire 21 days, but once I was finished, it has mostly subsided and no longer itches (typical yeast biddies).  At the end of it, I was better able to gauge my thirst levels and my cracked lips were sealed.  My little aches and pains were completely gone and I had the energy to actually make it to the gym 3 times, including one epic tear-filled battle dragging my kids to and from the gym daycare (they were tired...).  I felt great.  I am out of sugar willpower, but now I have great reasons to do it again March 1st.